At the end of this year, sixteen nations will contest the Rugby League World Cup. Most casual fans would know about Australia, New Zealand and England; but over the coming weeks, we’ll introduce you to some of the other teams.

Rugby League is a relatively new sport to Greece. In fact, the Greek national team was formed by Greek Australians in 2003, three years before the game was played formally in their mother nation.

Older Australian fans may remember Dr George Peponis captaining the Kangaroos to undefeated series wins against Great Britain in 1979 and New Zealand in 1980.

Greece played its first sanctioned international match against Italy at Sydney’s Kogarah Oval in 2003, and went down 26-24.

In 2009, Greece won the Australian Mediterranean Shield, defeating Italy 34-14 in the final. In 2014, Greece beat Serbia 50-22 in the final of the inaugural Balkans Cup in Belgrade.

Notable past players for Greece include former Australian test five-eighth Braith Anasta, Wests Tigers’ cult hero prop John Skandalis, and current South Sydney coach Jason Demetriou.

The draw at the World Cup has not been kind to Greece. The eleventh ranked nation will face England, Samoa and France in the pool matches, and though unlikely to progress, will be looking to provide a good account of themselves as the blue and white flag flies high.